Afrosmicronyx maerens Haran & Perrin 2017, comb. n.

Afrosmicronyx maerens (Marshall, 1940) comb. n.

Figs 1F, 2E, 3E, 5E, 6E

Smicronyx maerens Marshall, 1940: 54

Material examined. Lectotype ♂ [here designated]: [Kenya], ‘ Holotypus [Red label]’ ‘ Corydon Museum. Expdt. Chyulu Hills. vi.1938. Alt. 5600’ ‘ Smicronyx maerens. Mshl. Type ♂’ (fitted with a red holotype label, BMNH). Paratype, ♂: Kenya, Chyulu Hills, vi.1938, Alt. 5600, “ Smicronyx maerens. Mshl. Cotype ♂ ” (BMNH). Other material. Angola, Santa Comba, 3 mls. N., 7–8.iii.1972, at light, (1 ♂, BMNH).

Redescription. (♂) Body length 3.6–4.2 mm. Colour. Body integument black; vestiture consisting of rounded recumbent scales, as long as wide or elliptical, brown with shades of gray on elytra. Head. Rostrum longer than head plus prothorax, moderately and regularly downcurved, integument with coarse and confluent punctures and 3 distinct carinae near antennal insertion, scarcely covered by scales, glabrous and punctate at apex, transversal furrow at base of rostrum shiny and deep, head short; antennae dark brown, segment 1 elongate, slightly longer than 2+3, 3–4 square, 5–7 wider than long, widening distally. Prothorax. Isodiametric, widest behind middle, greatly narrowed at apex, sides rounded; integument densely and coarsely punctuate; scales brownish-gray, usually paler near scutellum, vestiture with a mix of broadly ovate scales and arcuate setiform scales. Elytra. Sides moderately convex, slightly divergent from base to middle in basal half, rounded in apical half, widest near middle (ratio w/l: 0.68); humeri raised; striae narrow, interstriae flat wide and shiny, apex of interstria 5 with a tiny declivital callosity, usually with few whitish setae, followed by depression; scutellum small, hidden by scales. Abdomen. Underside covered with gray and whitish scales, ventrites 1–2 elongate, 1 as long as 2, 2 shorter than 3+5. Legs. Dark brownish, femora clavate, armed with one ventral tooth; pro- and mesotibiae straight, fore-tibiae slightly bisinuate, all tibiae thickened in basal third. Genitalia. Penis short (ratio w/l: 0.54), sides rounded in basal half, converging in apical half, apex rounded, curvature in lateral view greater in middle (Fig. 6E). Female not known.

Life history. Unknown. Adults collected in March and June.

Distribution. Angola, Kenya.

Variability. The specimen from Angola examined exhibits substantial variation from specimens from the type locality (Kenya) in being smaller and with the penis less strongly narrowed at the apex. More material should be examined to evaluate the variability of characters in this species across its distribution range.

Discussion. In general appearance A. maerens is similar to A. angolanus (see that species for distinguishing characters). In the original description, G. A.K. Marshall did not designate a holotype from the 5 males reported. However, one specimen of the series examined at BMNH was clearly labelled as the holotype by the hand of G. A.K. Marshall. The lectotype of A. maerens was therefore designated based on this specimen.